


Drifter

by dragongummy



Category: The Punisher (TV 2017)
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Character Study, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Nightmares, Panic Attacks, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-22
Updated: 2017-11-22
Packaged: 2019-02-05 08:48:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,306
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12790995
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/dragongummy/pseuds/dragongummy
Summary: **SPOILERS THROUGH EPISODE 12 OF THE PUNISHER**Micro's thoughts on Frank while he's recovering.





	Drifter

Frank was lying there on the floor, in a pool of his own blood. In a pool of his own blood _and_ the body next to him. Mutilated. Blood was everywhere. The smell was overbearing. Metallic. David is kneeling over him before he even knows what's happening. His heart is pounding and he tries to steady his hands as he places them on Frank's chest. Why was David the one freaking out? He wasn't the one dying in his own--

"My friend is dying," he whispers pathetically. And when had that happened exactly? When did they cross that line to become this? Was it when Frank was selfish to make David listen to his hellish nightmares? When he'd call out for his wife that was dead or his best friend that had betrayed him or his children who...David catches a sound in his throat. Was it when Frank finally gave him a small smile at one of his jokes? The fact that Frank and Frank alone has been the one keeping his family safe? 

It hurts to look at Frank and he drops his head to the crook of Frank's neck. He can hear Frank's breathing, short and labored into his ear. And it makes him let out a series of sobs that shake through his body. It's too intense but it makes David laugh to himself because everything with Frank is intense. Every moment with Frank are full of bursts of intimate emotion. 

Frank jerks to reality again, looking at David like he's about to hurt him. But David shakes his head frantically; he wouldn't. He would never. He deals with Frank how he knows. He cradles Frank's head with one hand and puts the other on his side, applying pressure to the stab wound he sees there. Doesn't break eye contact because Frank is looking at him with tears in his eyes and there's real fear there. He's mumbling words incoherently, stringing together sentences that don't make sense and David just nods and holds Frank. Frank was saying something. He had suffered blows to the head, but he's telling David something so David listens. He hears "alone" and "pain". And David listens. He was going into shock, his hands were shaking and David squeezes Frank to keep him from passing out. Frank's eyes were darting in and out of focus as if he was looking for a threat.

"I got you, I got you," is all David can say. He hopes his voice is penetrating through to Frank, that wherever he is, he can hear him. David doesn't want to see Frank like this. Ever again. He holds back his tears until Frank finally loses consciousness.

\- - - - - - -

Frank will survive, naturally. Of course he will. If anyone could, it was Frank. Yes, of course Frank would survive it. That thought alone makes his heart clench with knowing how much strength it takes. How _strong_ Frank really is. But David is watching the nightmares now as the pain is back in Frank's face again. Like they couldn't leave him alone even in this state. 

David asked for a gun to put in Frank's hand while he's unconscious. Madani protests that he could shoot someone in a panic when he woke but he stands his ground. She doesn't know him like David does. And sure enough when Frank comes to, he grips the gun tight to his chest like it's a lifeline. David doesn't understand that, he can't pretend to understand it. But he's seen Frank's nightmares, he's seen his file. He's seen what he can do. He's seen him shut everything inside him off and he's seen how he suffers. And no. He still doesn't understand. But it's something Frank needs to feel safe and David is going to give Frank whatever the hell he needs right now. But he doesn't want to startle Frank either. He'd just been tortured for...David closes his eyes and fights the images of blood and the ripped open body of Rawlins. That even in that state, Frank could _do something like that_.

So he settles on waiting while Frank comes to. His knuckles are white on the gun and his breathing starts to come out harsher and harsher. Like a panic attack. And David can't do this with Frank. Not with Frank. This is something he doesn't like seeing; the anguish. The panic. The fear. The denial. The self loathing. Seeing it manifest in anyone else would be managable.

But Frank...

David reaches out slowly, not pausing when Frank's eyes finally dart to him. The recognition in Frank's face softens David's own a bit. Gently, as gently as he can, he puts his hand on Frank's arm. And Frank flinches, but doesn't pull away. The flinch doesn't hurt David's feelings. He likes to think Frank knows that he won't hurt him. But then again, Frank did have trust issues. And recent head trauma.

His breathing is heavier as he watches David's hand on his arm like he's waiting for it to catch on fire. Frank looks from David's hand to his face like he can't quite connect the two and tension starts to build in Frank's frame. Frank's mind was going somewhere else.

"Hey, hey. It's me, Frank." He lets the moments pass. Like anything with Frank, if he wants his words to sink in, it takes time. He has to talk to him slowly and calmly. Gentle and patient. David doesn't mind.

"It's okay, Frank." Frank says nothing but he lets David's hand stay where it is and shit if that isn't _something_. So he trails his hand up to Frank's shoulder. Then back down. Then up. Soothing. Frank's breathing is still heavy, like he's an exposed nerve about to snap. So David starts talking. About the room's wallpaper. About the juice in the fridge that's probably expired. About Madani's parents. Frank watches him with an intensity he so rarely offers; like he's really listening. That means that he needs what David is giving him right now. David's still running his hand up and down Frank's arm and it's all oddly intimate. Like he thought earlier, everything with Frank is.

David talks and talks until Frank is breathing slow and steady. Frank's dozed off to the sound of his voice and David swallows. 

He refuses to let his face redden when he realizes he's been holding Frank's hand tightly. Frank's own pinky is wrapped around his and that hits David where it hurts and where it heals. He shakes his head when Sarah walks in with an inquiry on her face. She smiles at him and leaves the room quietly. She understands. It's why he loves her so much. She understands how he could love Frank; she loves him too.

David takes a long breath. He's standing over Frank, and he lets his fingers push into Frank's hair. He shouldn't be doing it, he shouldn't. But he cares. And he hurts. He knows Frank isn't going to be around much longer. It's in his nature. He'll barely heal enough to walk then he'll be in the wind. Frank cares for him and his family, he knows that. He's proven that long ago. But he'll leave. So Micro is going to do whatever the fuck he wants right now while he still has Frank here. He pulls at Frank's hair, checking to be sure that he was real. Remembering parts of what Frank looks like and what his hair feels like between in his hand. He wants to be able to remember so he won't feel so sad when Frank's gone. He'll have more to recall about him. He doesn't want Frank to go. David smiles softly when Frank tilts his head towards him. 

David needs this right now. He needs this before Frank leaves.

_He needs Frank._


End file.
